clever; bright; sharp; intelligent
Describes a person who is mentally quick, perceptive, and intelligent. Often used for children or young people. Similar to 利口 (rikō) but with a slightly more literary or formal tone.
See also: 利口
She is a bright child and learns everything quickly.
He impressed the teacher with his sharp question.
利口 is more common and colloquial, often used for well-behaved or sensible children. 怜悧 is more literary and emphasizes quick-witted intelligence.
賢い is the most common word for 'smart' or 'wise', used in everyday speech. 怜悧 is less frequent and carries a slightly formal or elegant nuance.
cunning; crafty; shrewd; guileful
Standard kanji form; the first character 怜 means 'clever' and the second 悧 also means 'clever'.
Rarely used kanji form; 伶 means 'actor' and 俐 means 'clever', but this spelling is uncommon.
The word is composed of two kanji both meaning 'clever' or 'intelligent': 怜 (rei, 'wise') and 悧 (ri, 'clever'). It is a Sino-Japanese compound (kango) with no clear native Japanese origin. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.